


Don't act my age

by schrijverr



Category: Justice League - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Identity Reveal, Young! Batman, Young! Bruce Wayne
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 14:21:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18896371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schrijverr/pseuds/schrijverr
Summary: When The Falsh gets mad about not being respected, because he's younger Bruce backs him up and reveals his identity in the process.





	Don't act my age

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr is @schrijverr, you can find my work there as well

The League hadn’t been together for very long. It was still a very new concept and Batman didn’t trust them enough to give them his secret identity, yet. Everyone was relatively OK with that, sure some found it a bit unnerving or suspicious that he knew theirs and they not his, but no one said a thing. Besides, they all learned not to disrespect their elders which Batman was, or so they thought. Batman had quickly established that he was, in fact, the youngest there. He also noticed that everyone thought he was one of the older ones, he blamed that on trauma and Dick. You see, no one expects anyone to randomly adopt a twelve-year-old at twenty-four or to put on a bat-costume to fight crime at twenty-two.

He also found out that he didn’t mind being perceived as the oldest. He had seen how everyone had started to treat Barry AKA The Flash after they had found out the forensic scientist was only thirty years old and therefore the youngest after Batman. 

Batman himself had treated Barry the same after that and Barry was highly appreciative of that. After five months since the start of the Justice League the cat came out of the bag about Batmans age. It was in an after battle meeting when Barry started ranting about his age and how it doesn’t change is work. He said: “Sure, I’m the youngest, but that doesn’t mean you all have to baby me. Like, Wonder Woman today for example, I had that situation handled and I didn’t need help and if you hadn’t known my age you wouldn’t have intervened. Now it wasn’t so bad, but if had cost life I wouldn’t have been able to forgive you or myself. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the gesture, but it’s dangerous and unnecessary. Take Batman, he doesn’t do it, but we’re still friends and we have mutual respect and all that jazz.”

The JLA was silent for a second, then Batman broke it: “The Flash is right. Age should not effect action. We don’t treat Wonder Woman as an elderly even though she’s old for our standards, because we know she is capable. The same goes for Barry.”  
Superman said: “I don’t know, Batman. I don’t feel like you can compare the two. Wonder Woman only has extra experience as well as an enhanced body.”

Batman was getting angrier. He knew what it was like when you were not being taken seriously because of your age. He had experienced it his entire life and he could see Flash giving up just like he had done as Bruce Wayne. He didn’t care about his identity he was just mad, so he asked: “Do you trust me? Do you think I’m capable?”  
Everyone nodded, a bit confused. “Where are you going with this, Batman?” Martian Manhunter asked.  
“Where I’m going with this, John. Is that you disrespect Flash because he gave you information, information he only gave you because he trusts you and if you are doing that to him do it to me as well.” everyone was getting more confused and Batman finished sarcastically: “Hi, I’m twenty-seven years old, just for your information.”

Everyone was shocked, some spluttered, others just stared. Barry gaped at him and said: “You’re younger that me? Why do you radiate old-energy?”  
Batman rolled his eyes: “My parents were murdered when I was eight, I guess it’s trauma, that and I’m a dad, so the stress ages you.” everyone was even more shocked, “Well, since I’ve given you all this information I guess I should tell you who I am. It’s only fair.” he took of his cowl and smiled, “Bruce Wayne, nice to meet you.”  
“WHAT!!! You’re THE Bruce Wayne!” Flash yelled.  
“I, I, I interviewed you. You already knew who I was, but you didn’t say anything.” Clark stammered the realization.  
Batman smirked at that. “I don’t understand how, but I’ve seen crazier stuff.” Hal said.

Then the BatWave went off and Batman looked down. On the screen it read: ‘I hacked the cameras, nice stunt. You wanna bail now? ~Robin’.  
Batman fought the urge to smile as he said: “I need to go, Gotham needs me.” and left.  
Batman had a lot of questions to answer later, but from then on out no one treated The Flash or him different.


End file.
